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Who was the last prime minister of the UK never to have been elected to the House of Commons. I believe Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury was prime minister while a member of the House of Lords. However he was elected to the House of Commons previously in 1854.

I am interested in the last prime minister never to have been elected to the House of Commons at all.

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I think the first prime minister to be elected directly from the House of Lords was Spencer Compton, 1st Earl of Wilmington and the last was either:

or

  • Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery who wasn't entitles to sit in the House of Lords as his earldom was part of the Old Peerage of Scotland however, he inherited from his grandfather the Barony of Rosebery which did entitle him to sit in the House of Lords, and crucially, barred him from sitting in the House of Commons

Resources: Wikipedia: List of Prime Ministers of The United Kingdom

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    Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury was in my question as someone who had been elected previously so isn't relevant. Maybe Archibald Primrose is the answer.
    – Simd
    May 11, 2015 at 8:41

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